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Microsoft Purview Data Governance vs Netwrix Data Classification comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft Purview Data Gove...
Ranking in Data Governance
1st
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
59
Ranking in other categories
Microsoft Security Suite (8th)
Netwrix Data Classification
Ranking in Data Governance
29th
Average Rating
0.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
2
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Data Governance category, the mindshare of Microsoft Purview Data Governance is 12.1%, down from 21.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Netwrix Data Classification is 1.4%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Data Governance Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Microsoft Purview Data Governance12.1%
Netwrix Data Classification1.4%
Other86.5%
Data Governance
 

Featured Reviews

AS
Tech lead at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Automated data discovery has streamlined management while configuration remains complex
Compared to Big-ID, Microsoft Purview Data Governance looks complicated to me. I do not feel it has a good user-level UI. The interface feels a little complicated compared to Big-ID. I did not appreciate the configuration part. It felt complex, whereas when I went for a Big-ID demo, the interface looked better and was easier to understand for any user.
Simonas Palevicius - PeerSpot reviewer
Business Development Manager at BAKOTECH
A comprehensive data classification and information security solution that offers robust functionality, scalability, and competitive pricing
The standout aspect of this solution is its price performance. It's highly flexible and scalable, offering customers the choice to match their needs and budget. It is also user-friendly and effective. Even if you opt for just one module, such as Active Directory, you'll immediately see automated, valuable insights when you install and run the auditor. From a network perspective, it offers an array of well-structured rules. Unlike other systems that require extensive configurations, Netwrix simplifies the process. It's more intuitive and forgiving, meaning you don't need to be an expert to get value from it. Its strength lies in its predefined rules that generate automated reports and more without requiring in-depth knowledge of the system.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Microsoft Purview stands out for its automatic data recovery system, which prioritizes critical data for the fastest restoration."
"The sensitivity labeling is the most valuable feature because it is the foundation for automating the encryption process and ensuring proper data handling across the organization."
"The features of Microsoft Purview Data Governance that I value most include communication compliance. It provides visibility into how people are using Copilot for Microsoft and gives insight into risks and sensitive conversations."
"The feature that I find most valuable is its ability to block unintended data sharing, like forcing unencrypted emails to be encrypted. We're evolving technologically, so people aren't always working from their desks. Our people are on the move. We have data everywhere. For example, in airlines, they're mobile and working from one door to another. They can't carry a computer from one station to another. That's where a lot of airlines use iPads. Securing and integrating iPads is helpful."
"Microsoft Purview Data Governance enables us to show our compliance in real time."
"I really like the entire system for auto-labeling content. It's a very refined system. I use the Keyword Query Language to define refined string-based metadata, and then I can really go deep into the specific data with the specific properties labeled in such and such a way."
"The data protection feature is vital as it controls who can access data when it moves out of our protected boundary."
"The sensitivity labeling is the most valuable feature because it is the foundation for automating the encryption process and ensuring proper data handling across the organization."
"It's highly flexible and scalable, offering customers the choice to match their needs and budget."
"Netwrix Data Classification Manager finds the data in a very efficient manner, and the efficacy of the solution is very good."
 

Cons

"The current event-based retention management is very poor."
"I would like to have complete video documentation for training."
"Auto-tagging should be available at lower levels of licensing. Right now, a high level of licensing is needed for auto-tagging, and this feature should be made available at a lower license level."
"There are some non-Microsoft file formats that are not supported."
"Non-Microsoft use cases are not very high. It's limited for now."
"Compared to Big-ID, Microsoft Purview Data Governance looks complicated to me. I do not feel it has a good user-level UI."
"We've had a few issues with the scanner. It runs perfectly one day, and on another day, it will run the whole night. It's probably related to the rules. If I set some compliance rules and apply the rules to any column, I can't delete it. I have to disable it and reactivate it."
"It could reduce pricing to encourage usage."
"One of the key issues is its interface and querying capabilities, which can be complex, making it difficult to interpret logs."
"Netwrix Data Classification Manager is very good at network data classification, but it also has to work on endpoint data classification because clients ask for it."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"People often and unjustly say that Microsoft product pricing is not in the scope of reality, that it's just too expensive at times. I do not feel that is the case at all... If I'm able to let go of 30 to 70 percent of my IT administration staff, that makes up for a lot of money."
"There is some competition out there, but the other solutions are quite expensive. They are enterprise tools that are a bit more mature but the license costs $100,000 for some of them. Purview is pay-per-use and a lot of companies are interested in that."
"I consider it cost-efficient because of the metrics it provides."
"Aside from the complexity of the pricing model, the price itself is realistic. Features like AI components and automatic classification require additional licenses. Still, anyone can start using Purview with a basic E3 license if they're using Microsoft 365 and grow with additional licenses as needed. Overall, we're satisfied with the price."
"I would rate the cost of Microsoft Purview a six out of ten with ten being the most expensive."
"To get the full features of Purview, we currently need E5 enterprise licenses, which are expensive."
"Price-wise, I think it's very generous and accessible to not just enterprises but small to medium-sized companies as well. I think it's very fair in terms of how they break apart the storage and the actual computing, and that makes it very accessible. So, that is a very big plus for Purview."
"The price is a little bit high, but it's worth the money because it has a lot of features."
"Netwrix Data Classification Manager has an affordable price."
"The initial pricing might seem reasonable, but costs can quickly escalate when adding components."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
10%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
21%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise31
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft Azure Purview?
It is designed to seamlessly connect to various data sources, which is particularly beneficial for our customers who primarily use Microsoft technologies.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft Azure Purview?
Microsoft Purview Data Governance is quite affordable compared to other market solutions, which have high initial costs. It allows for a cost-effective start with negligible initial cost. However, ...
What needs improvement with Microsoft Azure Purview?
Compared to Big-ID, Microsoft Purview Data Governance looks complicated to me. I do not feel it has a good user-level UI. The interface feels a little complicated compared to Big-ID. I did not appr...
What do you like most about Netwrix Data Classification Manager?
Netwrix Data Classification Manager finds the data in a very efficient manner, and the efficacy of the solution is very good.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Netwrix Data Classification Manager?
Netwrix Data Classification Manager has an affordable price. Since the solution is priced according to the client's market size, everybody can afford it.
What needs improvement with Netwrix Data Classification Manager?
Netwrix Data Classification Manager is very good at network data classification, but it also has to work on endpoint data classification because clients ask for it. Although the solution is easy to...
 

Also Known As

Microsoft Purview, MS Azure Purview
No data available
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft Purview Data Governance vs. Netwrix Data Classification and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,515 professionals have used our research since 2012.